More 'High-Tech' Churches Emerging in America
Tuesday, Mar. 21, 2006
Posted: 10:00:35AM EST

WASHINGTON – With more and more churches powering up technology for worship, ministry, fellowship, discipleship, and even evangelism and prayer in recent years, it seems America’s faith communities have embraced modern technology with open arms.

With many churches going high-tech, some say the marriage of spirituality and technology is a match made in heaven,” noted anchor and reporter Eun Yang from News4 in Washington, D.C.

Studies of Protestant churches by the Phoenix-based Ellison Research firm and the Barna Group of Ventura, Calif., have revealed how congregations are increasingly “plugged in” when it comes to media-savvy ministry.

According the research groups, between 47 percent and 57 percent of Protestant churches have their own Web sites; more than six out of ten Protestant churches use large-screen projection systems to highlight their weekly announcements, song lyrics and sermon presentations; sixty-one percent of congregations incorporate video clips into their worship services; and one-fifth of churches e-mail their newsletter to church members, though only 4 percent offer an online member directory. The rest